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Export to United Kingdom

New CETA in force since July 2026 — most Indian goods now enter duty-free. Strong market for garments, food and engineering.

Capital
London
Currency
GBP
Trade agreement with India
India–UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)
15 July 2026
Main ports
Felixstowe, London Gateway, Southampton

The UK has a large South Asian population and a long trading history with India. With CETA in force, garments, home textiles, leather, footwear, marine products and processed food that used to pay duty can now enter at zero or reduced rates. Since leaving the EU, the UK runs its own import controls, so check UK rules separately from EU rules.

India–UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)

Signed on 24 July 2025 and in force from 15 July 2026. The Commerce Ministry says Indian goods get duty-free access on about 99% of UK tariff lines, with some lines phased in over time. Get the certificate of origin on DGFT's eCoO platform and check your HS code on the UK Trade Tariff for the preferential rate.

What it buys from India

  • Garments, home textiles and footwear
  • Medicines, machinery and auto components
  • Gems, jewellery and leather goods
  • Tea, spices, rice, marine products and ready-to-eat food

Import rules on their side

  • Plants, fresh produce and food of animal origin must come with the right certificates (for example a phytosanitary or health certificate), and the UK importer pre-notifies the shipment on the UK system.
  • Food labels must be in English and follow UK food law, including allergen labelling.
  • Many manufactured goods need UKCA or CE marking to show they meet UK product-safety rules.
  • To get the CETA rate, the goods must meet the agreement's rules of origin; keep cost and raw-material records in case UK customs asks.

Practical tips

  • Big UK retailers ask for ethical-trade audits (such as SMETA) before placing orders. Smaller importers and Indian-owned wholesalers are an easier first step.
  • Payment is usually by bank transfer on open account after the first few orders; start with advance or documents against payment.
  • Re-price your products using the CETA rate — your UK buyer saves the duty, so you can compete with Bangladesh and other suppliers.
Sources (7)
  1. PIB — India-UK CETA and Agreement on Social Security enter into force (15 Jul 2026)
  2. GOV.UK — Historic UK-India Free Trade Agreement is now in effect
  3. Department of Commerce — India's Free Trade Agreements 2025-26: Key Highlights
  4. GOV.UK — UK Trade Tariff
  5. GOV.UK — Import goods into the UK
  6. GOV.UK — Food Standards Agency
  7. Department of Commerce — TradeStat export-import data bank

Trade data

India’s exports to United Kingdom in numbers

From the Department of Commerce’s TradeStat (Indian financial years, April–March), the country’s imports from the world from UN Comtrade, and its basics from the World Bank.

India’s exports here, 2025-26
US$ 13.4 bn
No. 5 of our 30 countries
Change from 2024-25
↓ -7.6%
US$ 14.5 bn → US$ 13.4 bn
Share of all Indian exports
3.05%
Its imports from the world
US$ 791.7 bn
2023 · India’s share 1.87%
2020-21: US$ 8.16 bn8.2k2020-212021-22: US$ 10.5 bn10k2021-222022-23: US$ 11.4 bn11k2022-23n/a2023-242024-25: US$ 14.5 bn15k2024-252025-26: US$ 13.4 bn13k2025-26
India’s exports to United Kingdom, year by year · US$ million · TradeStat’s 2023-24 country table is double-counted, so it is not shown

What India sells here most

By HS chapter, 2025-26. Change is against 2024-25.

Name2025-26Change
1MachineryHS 84US$ 2.22 bn+25.5%
2Electrical and electronicsHS 85US$ 1.29 bn-39.9%
3Woven garmentsHS 62US$ 806 mn+4.3%
4Medicines and pharmaHS 30US$ 793 mn+1.5%
5Gems, jewellery, precious metalsHS 71US$ 716 mn-27.1%
6Knitted garmentsHS 61US$ 694 mn+5.1%
7Fuels and petroleum productsHS 27US$ 641 mn-51.5%
8Iron and steelHS 72US$ 567 mn+7.5%
9Vehicles and partsHS 87US$ 435 mn+66.8%
10Iron and steel articlesHS 73US$ 331 mn-4.2%
11Organic chemicalsHS 29US$ 311 mn-32%
12PlasticsHS 39US$ 293 mn+6.6%

What is rising and what is falling

Chapters where India sells at least US$ 5 million. Change from 2024-25 to 2025-26.

High demand

  1. Vehicles and partsUS$ 261 mn → US$ 435 mn+66.8%
  2. Other chemical productsUS$ 97 mn → US$ 140 mn+44.4%
  3. MachineryUS$ 1.77 bn → US$ 2.22 bn+25.5%
  4. Fish and seafoodUS$ 97.7 mn → US$ 120 mn+22.5%
  5. AircraftUS$ 155 mn → US$ 187 mn+20.4%
  6. Other food preparationsUS$ 88.4 mn → US$ 105 mn+18.8%
  7. Fruit and nutsUS$ 65.9 mn → US$ 77.4 mn+17.3%
  8. Stone, plaster, cement articlesUS$ 113 mn → US$ 130 mn+15%

Low demand

  1. Inorganic chemicalsUS$ 270 mn → US$ 111 mn-59%
  2. Fuels and petroleum productsUS$ 1.32 bn → US$ 641 mn-51.5%
  3. Electrical and electronicsUS$ 2.14 bn → US$ 1.29 bn-39.9%
  4. Organic chemicalsUS$ 457 mn → US$ 311 mn-32%
  5. Gems, jewellery, precious metalsUS$ 983 mn → US$ 716 mn-27.1%

Opportunity: what this country buys from the world, and from India

The country’s own recorded imports in UN Comtrade, 2023. Chapters with the biggest gap between what it buys from the world and what it buys from India.

MachineryUS$ 97.3 bnIndia 1.2% · gap US$ 96.1 bn
Fuels and petroleum productsUS$ 92.4 bnIndia 2.4% · gap US$ 90.2 bn
Vehicles and partsUS$ 90.4 bnIndia 0.3% · gap US$ 90.1 bn
Electrical and electronicsUS$ 74 bnIndia 3.1% · gap US$ 71.7 bn
Gems, jewellery, precious metalsUS$ 63.2 bnIndia 1.2% · gap US$ 62.4 bn
Medicines and pharmaUS$ 27.3 bnIndia 3.4% · gap US$ 26.4 bn
Instruments, medical devicesUS$ 23.6 bnIndia 0.8% · gap US$ 23.4 bn
PlasticsUS$ 19.7 bnIndia 1.4% · gap US$ 19.4 bn
AircraftUS$ 15 bnIndia 0.8% · gap US$ 14.9 bn
Organic chemicalsUS$ 13 bnIndia 3.2% · gap US$ 12.6 bn

Our product guides that sell here

India’s exports of each product to this country, 2025-26.

Name2025-26Change
1Readymade garmentsUS$ 1.5 bn+4.7%
2Generic medicines (formulations)US$ 755 mn+1.3%
3Processed foodUS$ 248 mn+14.3%
4FootwearUS$ 221 mn-10.1%
5Basmati riceUS$ 217 mn+13.4%
6Auto parts and componentsUS$ 173 mn-0.3%
7Leather goods (bags, wallets, belts)US$ 147 mn-5.5%
8Carpets and rugsUS$ 114 mn+11%
9Ceramic and vitrified tilesUS$ 111 mn+17.1%
10Frozen shrimpUS$ 103 mn+29.6%
11Granite and natural stoneUS$ 92.2 mn+24.3%
12SpicesUS$ 91.7 mn-9.5%

The 20 biggest export lines

4-digit HS lines, 2025-26, with their Harmonized System descriptions.

Name2025-26Change
1Turbo-jets, turbo-propellers and other gas turbinesHS 8411US$ 1.09 bn+29.2%
2MedicamentsHS 3004US$ 755 mn+1.3%
3Telephone sets, including smartphones and other telephones for cellular/wireless networksHS 8517US$ 641 mn-57.7%
4Petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals, not crudeHS 2710US$ 639 mn-51.5%
5Jewellery articles and parts thereof, of precious metal or of metal clad with precious metalHS 7113US$ 484 mn+22.4%
6Suits, ensembles, jackets, dresses, skirts, divided skirts, trousers, bib and brace overalls, breeches and…HS 6204US$ 365 mn+2.7%
7Machinery partsHS 8431US$ 272 mn+18.1%
8RiceHS 1006US$ 236 mn+12.3%
9Alloy steel in ingots or other primary forms, semi-finished products of other alloy steelHS 7224US$ 223 mn+36.1%
10FootwearHS 6403US$ 221 mn-10.1%
11Iron or non-alloy steelHS 7207US$ 209 mn+74.6%
12AircraftHS 8807US$ 184 mn+19.3%
13Insulated wire, cable and other electric conductors, connector fitted or notHS 8544US$ 178 mn+23%
14Parts suitable for use solely or principally with the engines of heading no. 8407 or 8408HS 8409US$ 176 mn+16.4%
15Motor vehiclesHS 8708US$ 173 mn-0.3%
16Motor cars and other motor vehiclesHS 8703US$ 170 mn+8,668.6%
17Garments and clothing accessories, babies'HS 6111US$ 160 mn+5.6%
18Taps, cocks, valves and similar appliances for pipes, boiler shells, tanks, vats or the like, including…HS 8481US$ 148 mn+90.7%
19TrunksHS 4202US$ 147 mn-5.5%
20Diamonds, whether or not worked, but not mounted or setHS 7102US$ 144 mn-12.2%

What India buys from United Kingdom

India’s imports from this country in 2025-26 by HS chapter, from TradeStat — this country can be your supplier too.

India’s imports, 2025-26
US$ 11.7 bn
US$ 8.58 bn → US$ 11.7 bn
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 13.4 bn
Trade balance
+US$ 1.78 bn
exports minus imports
Change in imports
+35.9%
Name2025-26Change
1Gems, jewellery, precious metalsHS 71—+129.6%
2MachineryHS 84—-16.3%
3Electrical and electronicsHS 85—+14%
4BeveragesHS 22—+15%
5AluminiumHS 76—+5.6%
6Instruments, medical devicesHS 90—+2.1%
7Iron and steelHS 72—-12.8%
8Vehicles and partsHS 87—+8.1%
9PulpHS 47—+62.6%
10CopperHS 74—+10.5%

The country at a glance

Population
69.5 mn
2025
GDP
US$ 4,002.6 bn
2025
GDP per person
US$ 57,602
2025
Imports (goods and services)
US$ 1,275.2 bn
2025

Sources: TradeStat — Export Import Data Bank, Department of Commerce · UN Comtrade database (United Nations Statistics Division) · World Bank — World Development Indicators · Figures taken 29 October 2026.

What to send to United Kingdom

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